Vyacheslav Fetisov head of the Russian sports bureau and a modest fellow said Russia could win 38 to 40 gold medals and place third at the Olympic Games in Beijing. That does not seem over-ambitious. Nor boastful.

He said, ‘Analysis to the situation in the sport area, trends and prospects for the development of the Olympic movement show that Russia, the United States and China will compete for the top places at the 2008 Games. Russia plans to come third.’

If he was in the same position in the United States he would probably be shot for having a negative attitude.

Over 400 Russian athletes are expected to take part in the Beijing Olympics.

Vyacheslav Fetisov sid, ‘The Russian team won 240 licenses of taking qualification in 23 sports. Some 314 athletes have already qualified.

Incidentally, if you wonder if he was a real sportsman he in ice hockey he was considered one of the best defensemen of all time, and a long-time captain for the Soviet Union national team
Source: China View